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| Eduardo De Filippo (1900-1984) |
Natale e Pasca so’ cumpagne tale
ca vanno sott’ ‘o vraccio eternamente.
Chi Pasca dice annòmmena Natale,
e de Natale Pasca vène a mmente.
Eppure ce sta tanta differenza
comme ‘a casa d’ ‘o Papa e ‘a casa mia.
Natale porta friddo e sufferenza,
Pasca strascina ‘a ggente mmiez’ ‘a via.
«Buon Natale!», te dice ‘o guardaporta,
c’ ‘o naso ‘a for’ ‘a senga d’ ‘o cappotto.
«Buona Pasqua!», te strilla, e nun le mporta
si s’è rotta na lastra d’ ‘o casotto.
«Buon Natale!», te dice ‘o farmacista,
e te cunzegna ‘e pinnole p’ ‘a sera.
«Buona Pasqua!», e te pesa a primma vista
l’essenza ‘e fior d’aracio p’ ‘a pastiera.
«Buon Natale!», te dice ‘o cusetore,
e te cunzegna ‘o piso ‘e nu cappotto.
«Buon Pasqua!», e accummencia nu calore
ca te sfile ‘a cammisa e ‘a maglia ‘a sotto.
«Buon Natale!», sta scritto add’ ‘o barbiere,
e te siente ‘o ssapone friddo nfaccia.
«Buon Pasqua!», e ‘o rasulo è nu piacere.
‘A nnamurata toia nun te ne caccia.
Chi Pasca dice annòmena Natale,
ma pe’ Pasca ce tengo ‘a simpatia.
‘O sole ‘e Pasca nun te po’ fa’ male
e scarfa ‘e puverielle mmiez’ ‘a via.
Pasca porta ‘e pesielle, ‘a ncappucciata,
ll’aglie nuvelle, a cepulluzza, ‘o ggrano;
e porta n’aria fresca e profumata
ca l’ ‘e desiderata n’anno sano.
Te porta ll’uocchie nire ‘e chi vuo’ bene,
ca te veneno a di’: «Facimmo pace»…
Ll’uocchie ca nun cunoscene catene
tu sulamente a Ppasca ‘e ffaie capace.
"Easter and Christmas" by Eduardo De Filippo
Christmas and Easter are such friends
that eternally they go arm in arm.
He who says Easter calls out Christmas,
and from Christmas Easter comes to mind.
And yet there is a lot of difference
as between the Pope's house and mine.
Christmas brings cold and sufferring,
Easter drags people out into the street.
«Merry Christmas!», the doorman says to you,
with his nose peaking out of the crack of his overcoat.
«Happy Easter!», he shouts to you, and doesn't care
if a pane of glass is broken in the vestibule.
«Merry Christmas!», the pharmacist says to you,
and he delivers your pills for the evening.
«Happy Easter!" at first sight measures for you
the orange blossom water for the pastiera.
«Merry Christmas!», says the tailor to you,
and delivers to you an overcoat.
«Happy Easter!», and the heat begins
and you slip out of your sweater and shirt.
«Merry Christmas!», is written at the barber's,
and you feel the cold soap on your face.
«Happy Easter!», and the razor is a pleasure.
Your lover won't chase you away.
He who says Easter calls out Christmas,
but I have sympathy for Easter.
The Easter sun doesn't hurt you
and warms the poor people in the middle of the street.
Easter brings peas, cabbage,
new garlic, shallots, grain;
and brings a fresh and fragrant air
which you've desired for a whole year.
It brings you the sad eyes of the one who loves you,
which come to tell you: «Let's make peace»…
The eyes that don't know chains
only at Easter you make them come to terms.
Translated by Cav. Charles Sant’Elia